SeasonMapNkhata Bay weather in December
Malawi
December in Nkhata Bay: warm, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 20 rainy days.
#9 of 12 months in Nkhata Bay · #763 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 68/100 (tier C)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Nkhata Bay in December
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Nkhata Bay climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 28°C / 82°F | 🌤 warm |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 24°C / 75°F | |
| Rainfall | 230 mm / 9.1 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 20 days | |
| Humidity | 79% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 22°C / 71°F | |
| Sunshine | 9.1 h/day | |
| Daylight | 12.8 h | |
| Wind | 10 km/h / 6 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 28 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Nkhata Bay in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Shoulder seasonschool holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Nkhata Bay's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherNkhata Bay's weather peaks August–October, best around September.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Nkhata Bay in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Bilharzia risk in the lake
1 Jan – 31 DecFreshwater snails carry bilharzia in the shallows year-round. The local advice is not to gamble on it: take the single-dose treatment about six weeks after any contact with the water, since both symptoms and tests lag behind exposure. Source ↗
- Season
Best diving visibility
1 Aug – 15 Dec · usuallyDive seasonThe dry season brings the clearest water of the year, with visibility reaching up to thirty metres over the cichlid reefs. The bay's long-established dive school runs its fullest schedule through these months. Source ↗
- Hazard
Malaria season
1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyInsect seasonRisk on the lakeshore runs all year but climbs hardest during the wet season from November to April. Prophylaxis is standard advice, and the humid nights around the bay are when repellent matters most. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk20 rainy days and about 230 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
Where is Nkhata Bay?
Nkhata Bay in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Nkhata Bay?
- December in Nkhata Bay: warm, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 20 rainy days. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Nkhata Bay on SeasonMap's comfort score (68/100).
- What is the weather like in Nkhata Bay in December?
- In December, Nkhata Bay averages a daily high of 27.7°C and a low of 23.9°C, with about 230 mm of rain over roughly 20.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Nkhata Bay in December?
- Nkhata Bay has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 28 in December.